What legume will give me late spring feed in a high rainfall area?
We recommend our Popany Vetch. It is a later-maturing vetch, taking 130+ days, and suits higher rainfall areas of 450mm+. It provides valuable late-season feed for grazing, hay or silage, can be used as green manure, and adds nitrogen to the soil. It also tolerates waterlogging and is extremely palatable at all growth stages.
How much Popany Vetch seed per hectare?
We recommend sowing Popany Vetch at 30–35 kg/ha as a single species, reducing the rate when sowing with a cereal such as triticale or oats. Inoculate with Group E inoculant, as for other vetches, and sow in autumn after a reliable opening rain. Talk to us for rates in mixes.
What's a good green manure legume for a South West paddock before vegetables or pasture?
Popany Vetch is a good choice for a South West green manure. Its later maturity (130+ days) gives it more time to build biomass and fix nitrogen before you terminate it, and it suits higher rainfall areas with 450mm+. Inoculate with Group E. For a ready-made blend, consider our Green Manure Mix.
What should I mix with a late-maturing vetch for silage?
We recommend pairing Popany Vetch with a cereal such as Joey Triticale or Saia Oats, sowing the vetch at a reduced rate. The cereal adds bulk and the vetch lifts protein. Popany is a later-maturing vetch (130+ days) for 450mm+ rainfall on loam to heavy soils. Inoculate with Group E, and ask about our Mix & Match Custom Pasture Blends.
Is Popany Vetch safe for pregnant cows and ewes?
Vetch is generally good feed, but rust-infected vetch crops have been linked to abortion in pregnant ruminants. Check Popany Vetch for rust before grazing, and don't graze if it is present. Introduce stock gradually and talk to your vet if you have concerns.
My early vetch finishes too soon in the Great Southern. Is there something that keeps going longer?
Yes, try Popany Vetch. It matures later than our Common Vetch, at 130+ days, so it keeps growing further into spring in higher rainfall districts. That gives extra late-season grazing or a bulkier hay or silage cut. It is best suited to areas with reliable rainfall.
How do I manage grazing on a vetch pasture so it recovers?
Graze vetch lightly once it is well established, rotate stock, and allow time for regrowth, which depends heavily on soil moisture. Avoid grazing during very wet periods. If you plan to cut Popany Vetch for hay or silage, lock the paddock up early enough for bulk to build.
Which legume adds nitrogen for next year's canola or cereal crop in a wetter district?
Popany Vetch is a good option for higher rainfall rotations. Like other vetches, it fixes atmospheric nitrogen and improves soil structure and organic matter, and it breaks cereal disease cycles. Its longer season allows more biomass and nitrogen to build up before termination.
When should I sow vetch in a higher rainfall area?
Vetch is typically sown in autumn after a reliable opening rain. Popany Vetch's longer season means earlier sowing gives it the most time to build biomass before spring. Sow into moist soil at about cereal depth, and control redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea early during establishment.
Can I grow a legume for silage on a paddock that sometimes gets wet feet?
Yes, we recommend Popany Vetch, which is listed as tolerant of waterlogging and suits loam to heavy soils with 450mm+ rainfall. For silage, sow it at a reduced rate with a cereal such as Joey Triticale, which also tolerates waterlogging. Avoid paddocks that stay flooded, and inoculate the vetch with Group E.
